Large carnivore attacks on hominins during the Pleistocene: a forensic approach with a Neanderthal example

Abstract

Interaction between hominins and carnivores has been common and constant through human evolution and generated mutual pressures similar to those present in worldwide modern human-carnivore conflicts. This current interaction is sometimes violent and can be reflected in permanent skeletal pathologies and other bone modifications. In the present paper, we carry out a survey of 124 forensic cases of dangerous human-carnivore encounters. The objective is to infer direct hominin-carnivore confrontation during the Pleistocene, which is important to understand behavioral changes during human evolution. In addition, the case of Neanderthals is analyzed in order to find evidence of past attacks using forensic observations. The results obtained pose that Neanderthals could potentially have been involved in dangerous encounters during the Pleistocene, validating our methodology to approach past attacks from a forensic perspective.

Pleistocene leopards in the Iberian Peninsula: New evidence from palaeontological and archaeological contexts in the Mediterranean region

“…Sanchis et al / Quaternary Science Reviews 124 (2015) 175e208than that of the African leopard. This feature also appears in other crania found in the Iberian Peninsula such as Abric Romaní, Algar da Manga Larga and Allekoaitze (C aceres et al, 1993;Cardoso and Regala, 2006;Corral, 2012;Altuna and Mariezkurrena, 2013), which for some authors may be typical of female leopards (Ghezzo and Rook, 2015). In the present-day African leopard this area is more elongated and does not project backwards (Sims, 2012).…”

“…As regards the dimensions of the AJG mandible (Table 3), the total length is very similar to that of Abric Romaní, Los Rincones and Caune de l'Arago (C aceres et al, 1993;Testu, 2006; Sauqu e and Cuenca-Besc os, 2013) and greater than that of Algar da Manga Larga (Cardoso and Regala, 2006). This measurement in the AJG specimen is close to average for present-day leopards and greater than for P. uncia and Puma.…”

“…Avenc de Joan Guit on (AJG-1); Algar da Manga Larga (nn; Cardoso and Regala, 2006); Allekoaitze and Aintzulo (nn; Altuna and Mariezkurrena, 2013); Abric Romaní (nn;C aceres et al, 1993); Equi (IGF15111V/1, IGF15110V, IGF185V/1, IGF10036V; Ghezzo and Rook, 2015); Observatoire (nn; Boule and de Villeneuve, 1927); Vjetrenica (VJE-1; Diedrich, 2013); Monte Sacro (MPUR/V1191; Kotsakis and Palombo, 1979) (IAN) in Vitoria and North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in the United States. Various articles were also used: Schmid (1940), Testu (2006), Sims (2005Sims ( , 2012, Christiansen (2008), Diedrich (2013), Sauqu e and Cuenca-Besc os (2013), Indu et al (2013), Podhade et al (2013, 2014a and, Sauqu e et al (2014a) and Ghezzo and Rook (2015).…”

“…Table 3 Mandibular measurements of leopard fossils from the Iberian Peninsula compared to other European individuals. Avenc de Joan Guit on (AJG-1); Algar da Manga Larga (nn; Cardoso and Regala, 2006); Allekoaitze (nn; Altuna and Mariezkurrena, 2013); Torrejones (nn; Arribas, 1997);Abric Romaní (nn;C aceres et al, 1993); Zafarraya (UC9/P14/B3/ 47; Barroso et al, 2006); Los Rincones (Ri10/C1/1; Sauqu e and Cuenca-Besc os, 2013); L'Arago (E14EFN11000; Testu, 2006;Testu et al, 2011);Triagalnata (nn;Spassov and Raychev, 1997); Karaïn E (17H26110, 18H26111; Testu, 2006 Arribas, 1997); Cova del Gegant (nn; Viñas and Villalta, 1975);Bolinkoba (nn;Castaños, 1987); Algar da Manga Larga (nn; Cardoso and Regala, 2006); Figueira Brava, Gruta do Escoural and Lorga da Dine (nn; Cardoso, 1993Cardoso, , 1996 All citations of Iberian Peninsula leopards are shown in Fig. 14 with further details in Table 13, showing the altitude of the site, context of appearance, chronology of the finding, number of remains/individuals/presence, taxonomic attribution, level, bibliographical references and an identification number for each site.…”

“…8C, E), whereas in P. uncia it is almost at a right angle and the symphysis is semivertical (Testu, 2006;Christiansen, 2008;Testu et al, 2011). Some of the Iberian leopards present the morphology described for P. pardus (Abric Romaní, the large specimen from Zafarraya, Allekoaitze and AJG); however, others are more similar to that of P. uncia (Algar da Manga Larga, Los Rincones and the small specimen from Zafarraya) (C aceres et al, 1993;Barroso et al, 2006;Cardoso and Regala, 2006;Altuna and Mariezkurrena, 2013; Sauqu e and Cuenca-Besc os, 2013).…”